Back at the ballpark on Wednesday for game #2 with Charleston, on this night the offensive display on both sides was minimal. The game was scoreless into the sixth inning, in the home half the Stormers broke the ice when Trace Loehr reached on a base hit and scored on an error. The West Virginians tied it in the eighth but the Stormers replied quickly in their turn, Anthony Peroni drew a walk and came around on Andretty Cordero's RBI double. In the ninth Mike Adams closed it out for winning pitcher Zach Warren, Dominic Disabatino had started and worked five innings of shutout ball but wasn't around for the finish. On Thursday the Barnstormers completed the three-game sweep although it was once again a battle. Base hits by Melvin Mercedes (run) and Joseph Carpenter (RBI) gave the Stormers a 1-0 lead in the first, after Charleston tied it in the second the Home Team retook the lead in the bottom half on a double by Jack Conley and an RBI hit by Loehr. The Dirty Birds didn't fly away quietly, they pushed the tying run home in the seventh but the last word belonged to the Stormers. After the stretch Conley started the rally with a walk and took second on a bunt single by Loehr, a throwing error allowed Conley to score the lead run. Loehr was retired attempting to advance on the error for the first out, Mercedes followed with a base hit and Cordero followed that with a two-run shot to right-center putting the Stormers up 5-2. That home run was a milestone for Andretty, he becomes the first player in ALPB history to post two separate 100-RBI seasons. There was no further scoring as the Barnstormers took it 5-2, Zach Warren pitched the final three innings and was the WP for the second straight night with Jeff Bain working the first five and Nile Ball making a one-inning appearance out of the bullpen. The weekend was quiet except for the usual Saturday lunch visit with Jenny, on Sunday daytime temperatures reached in to the 90s and the heat is expected to hang around for most of the coming week. Take care, thanks for reading.
